John Kerry applauds terrorists' release

ELDER OF ZIYON: Abbas embraces terrorists, calls them heroes (poster)

Here's video of Abbas welcoming the terrorists as heroes and his speech at the ceremony.



During his speech Abbas said "We promise that it will not be the last time, but there will be a batch ofheroes coming to us all the time and in the near future, God willing....This is the day the joy of all of us the joy of our people for our prisoner heroes who came out today to the light of freedom to live free, we congratulate you and congratulate ourselves with these heroes who arrived here and who arrived in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the rest will come, God willing."

He said that soon there will be a Palestinian state whose capital is Jerusalem and the Palestinian flag will fly over the minarets and churches of Jerusalem. 

We know what would happen to the synagogues if he had his choice.

ISRAEL MATZAV; I'm glad my son's murderers have not been found'

What a powerful indictment of the Israeli government's deer-in-the-headlights approach to releasing terrorists. 

Please, Israeli government, I beg you: Don’t go looking for my son’s killers. The ones who cruelly beat Koby and Yosef to death with rocks, the barbarians who attacked two eighth grade boys —  my son and his friend — who were on a hike near our home in Israel. Please don’t find them. Don’t apprehend them and put them in jail and make my family and me sit through a long trial and sentencing, where my heart will quake and my stomach will constrict and I will feel that I am about to faint. 

Don’t find them guilty and put them in jail. Because I don’t want the torture of knowing that these killers will find their way to freedom one day, will be greeted by their mothers with hugs, while my son and Yosef lie in the ground. I could not bear to go through what 26 Israeli families are going through today: betrayal by the government that is supposed to protect them.  

...

As a bereaved mother, it is difficult to speak out. It hurts. Yet a group of bereaved mothers created an organization called Forever Mothers. We visited the Knesset last week to lobby against the prison release. Tali Ben Yishai is a member of our group. Her daughter Ruthie and her son-in-law and three grandchildren, including a three-month-old baby, were murdered when a terrorist broke into their house close to midnight and stabbed them all to death in their beds. It is conceivable that one day their murderer could be released. After all, today the Israeli government is releasing the murderers of Rachel Weiss who along with her three children was killed in a bus bombing. As the bus burned, she tried to get her children off. A soldier who was on the bus, on his way home, David Delerosa, tried to help her but the bus exploded before they could exit. They were burned to death.

Shira Avraham, a member of Forever Mothers, knows what happens when terrorists are released. Her nine-month-old baby Shaked was murdered in her home by a terrorist who had been released in a former deal. He broke into Shira’s home the night of the festive meal of Rosh Hashanah, and murdered her baby and the friend who was holding her.

At our meeting, one of the few Knesset members who attended said, “It’s a disgrace that you bereaved mothers have to come fight for your children. It is the government that should be protecting you.”

He is right. It should not be bereaved families leading this fight. The government should be protecting the most vulnerable families. In addition, every Israeli citizen should be protesting.

Read it all.

ISRAEL MATZAV: Pollard blasts Israeli government over terrorist release

Jonathan Pollard, who has been imprisoned in the United States for the last 28 years for spying for Israel, has spoken out for the first time since his imprisonment. In a JPost op-ed, he blasts the Israeli government for releasing terrorists.

Over the last six decades, Israel’s leaders and its judiciary have practiced the art of political expedience to such a degree that Israel is now the first and only country in the world to hold the following dubious “honors”:

• Israel is the only country in the world ever to voluntarily expel its own citizens from chunks of its homeland in order to hand over the land to its enemies.

• It is the only country in the world ever to voluntarily destroy the homes and businesses of its own citizens, leaving them with shattered lives and broken promises.

• Israel is the only country in the world ever to voluntarily dig up and transport the graves of its dead so that the land could be turned over to its enemies.

The State of Israel also holds unenviable world records for betraying those who serve the state, including the following:

• Israel is the only country in the world to restrain its military from rescuing a wounded soldier, for fear of provoking the enemy and risking its approval ratings with the world. The soldier, injured by enemy gunfire at a Jewish holy site, slowly bled to death needlessly while the IDF stood by and watched.

• Israel also remains the only country in the world ever to voluntarily cooperate in the prosecution of its own intelligence agent, refusing him sanctuary, turning over the documents to incriminate him, denying that the state knew him, and then allowing him to rot in a foreign prison for decades on end, cravenly forgoing its right to simple justice for the nation and for the agent.

• Additionally, Israel is still the only country in the world ever to violate its own system of justice by repeatedly releasing dangerous, unrepentant murderers and terrorists back into the civilian population with impunity. No other country in the world has ever done this! In summary, Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world so befuddled by moral ambiguity that it is willing to dishonor its dead, betray its bereaved, and disgrace its citizens for the sake of political expediency.

...

All the polls indicate that the overwhelming majority of Israeli citizens are opposed to the release of the murderers. It is a strange kind of democracy that pays no heed whatsoever to the will of the people.

No Israeli official has advanced a single compelling reason in support of the wholesale release of these murderers and terrorists. The claim that it “serves national interests” is spurious. There is no national interest that supersedes morality.

The second-most touted excuse is that the government of Israel was given three existentially threatening choices by its best ally, and the least damaging choice of the three was the release of murderers and terrorists.

Did anyone at the helm ever consider that given three life-threatening choices, the only response is: “No, no and no!”?

Someone needs to wave this in the face of the craven members of the so-called 'Jewish Home' party who believe that the only problem with releasing terrorists is that we didn't get Jonathan Pollard in exchange for them.  After 28 years in American prisons, Jonathan Pollard has more morality and common sense in his little finger than these vapid politicians have in their entire party. 

Read the whole thing. 

PMW: PA honored the killers of 238 Israelis during Ramadan period; 22 terrorist murderers chosen by PA and Fatah for honor during Ramadan 17 of the terrorists were imprisoned 3 were suicide bombers 2 others were killed during their terror attacks The honored terrorists killed 238 people PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs: "The purpose of this visit during this month (Ramadan) is to emphasize the loyalty and love to the prisoners."

As a major focus of its Ramadan activities, the Palestinian Authority chose to honor and glorify terrorist murderers. 
 
In all, 22 terrorist murderers who killed 238 Israelis were glorified, along with numerous other terrorists who caused injuries. Those honored included suicide bombers, bomb makers, hijackers, snipers, stabbers, and planners of terror attacks. Palestinian Media Watch has reported that many of them have been honored numerous times in the past for their terror attacks. 

Terrorists responsible for horrific attacks were honored, including Dalal Mughrabi, whose bus hijacking left 37 killed, Abdallah Barghouti, who planned and made explosives for suicide bombings that killed 67, Raed Al-Houtari, who recruited 2 suicide bombers for the Dolphinarium discotheque suicide bombing that killed 22 young people and others. The PA's terror glorification during Ramadan was not related to Israel's release of 26 terrorists from prison.  

Most days during Ramadan, PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake and other officials made at least one publicized visit, sometimes televised, to the home of one of the terrorists. PA TV had numerous programs honoring terrorists and Fatah honored terrorists by posting their pictures on Facebook, glorifying the terrorists and their terror attacks.

PA TV broadcast the words of Fatah leader, Tayseer Al-Bardini, about the visits and gatherings in honor of the terrorists, because the PA "extols" the acts of terror they committed:  

"These gatherings of solidarity [for prisoners] are just a reminder that there are heroes... These heroes who we are talking about, they are the ones whose actions we extol."

[Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 24, 2013]

PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake said: 

"The purpose of this visit during this month (Ramadan) is to emphasize the loyalty and love to the prisoners." 

[Al-Ayyam, July 16, 2013]

The following is the list of terrorists honored by the PA during the Ramadan period, with a brief description of some of their terror activities, for which they are being honored:

Name of terrorist:	Abdallah Barghouti
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Prepared explosives for terror attacks in which 67 people were murdered - Sbarro restaurant (15 killed, Aug. 9, 2001), Sheffield Club (15 killed, May 7, 2002), Moment Café (11 killed, March 9, 2002), triple attack at Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (11 killed, Dec. 1, 2001), Hebrew University (9 killed, July 1, 2002), and Bus 4 in Tel Aviv (6 killed, Sept. 19, 2002).
No. killed:	67 people
Sentence:	67 life sentences
Means of honor:	Fatah's Facebook page "The Main Page" posted his picture and glorified him. It listed 5 of the suicide bombings he participated in, specifying for each one: "killed 15 Zionists"; "killed 11 Zionists"; "killed 15 Zionists," etc., adding up to a total of 61 "killed Zionists." He was called the "heroic prisoner."
Source:	Facebook page, "Fatah - The Main Page," July 22, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Dalal Mughrabi
Status:	Killed during her terror attack.
Crime description:	She and other terrorists hijacked a bus in 1978.
No. killed:	37 civilians (12 of them children)
Means of honor:	Fatah's Facebook page "The Main Page" posted two pictures honoring her during Ramadan. One of them called her and three other female terrorists "stars that shone in the sky of the revolution." The other picture called her "the [female] master of the world."
Source:	Facebook, "Fatah - The Main Page," Aug. 2, 2013 and July 29, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Muhammad Imran
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	One of the planners of the Moment Café suicide bombing  on March 9, 2002, the Hebrew University suicide bombing on July 31, 2002 and the Sheffield Club suicide bombing on May 7, 2002, in which he gave the suicide bomber the explosive belt.
No. killed:	35 people
Sentence:	37 life sentences
Means of honor:	PA TV program For You dedicated an episode to the terrorist. His brother: "I haven't found words in the dictionary with which I can define Muhammad Imran as he truly deserves... Our dictionary is unable to describe the heroism of these people. His son said he is "proud of him always." His wife said he is "brave" and "noble." His daughter: "My father is a man who can't be described with words. A very great man and a distinguished hero. I'm very proud of my father in public and I always see him as a supreme example and as a role model for me." His second daughter: "He's a warrior and a Jihad fighter and I'm proud of him in public and he makes us proud."
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 25, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Raed Al-Houtari
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Recruited 2 suicide bombers to bomb the Dolphinarium Disco in Tel Aviv.
No. killed:	23 teenagers and young adults
Sentence:	22 life sentences
Means of honor:	Visit to his home by PA TV program. Daughter: "I am proud he is in prison and that he is a hero." Brother-in-law: "You raised our heads high."
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, Aug. 10, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Ahmad Salah
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Involved in the suicide attacks on two buses in Jerusalem, Jan. 29, 2003 and Feb. 22, 2004.
No. killed:	19 people
Sentence:	21 life sentences
Means of honor:	Visit to his home by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake.
Source:	Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 14, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Ahmad Jabara Abu Sukkar
Status:	Died recently. Was released from prison in 2003 as part of a goodwill gesture from Israel to the PA.
Crime description:	Planned 1975 bombing - a refrigerator filled with explosives was detonated in central Jerusalem.
No. killed:	15 people
Sentence:	1 life sentence plus 30 years
Means of honor:	Described on PA TV by Fatah leader as: "A hero among the heroes of Fatah operations,' specifically the hero of the 'Refrigerator Operation.'"
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 24, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Hilmi Hammash
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Aided suicide bombing on bus in Jerusalem, Jan. 29, 2004.
No. killed:	11 people
Sentence:	12 life sentences
Means of honor:	Visit to his home by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake.
Source:	Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 14, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Thaer Hammad
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Opened fire with sniper's rifle from a hill at soldiers and civilians (in Wadi Al-Haramiya, West Bank) on March 3, 2002.
No. killed:	10 people (7 soldiers, 3 civilians)
Sentence:	11 life sentences
Means of honor:	Called "hero" on PA TV by member of Fatah Leadership, Tayseer Al-Bardini, for "kiilling a group of Zionists with his old rifle."
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 24, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Mundhir Snobar
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Transported a suicide bomber to his attack at the Geha junction east of Tel Aviv in December 2003.
No. killed:	4 people
Sentence:	4 life sentences plus 30 years
Means of honor:	TV program For You dedicated an episode to the terrorist. The terrorist was called "the brave prisoner."
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 18, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Muhammad Adel Daoud
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Murdered Ofra Moses, who was pregnant, and her 5 year-old son, Tal Moses, by throwing a Molotov cocktail at their car on April 11, 1987.
No. killed:	2 people and an unborn baby
Sentence:	1 life sentence
Means of honor:	Visit to home by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake.
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 15, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Issa Abd Rabbo
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Murdered 2 Israeli university students who were hiking south of Jerusalem. At gun point he tied them up, put bags over their heads and then shot and murdered both.
No. killed:	2 people
Sentence:	2 life sentences
Means of honor:	Visit to home by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake.
Source:	Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 14, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Brothers Ziyad Mahmoud Ghanimat and Mustafa Ghanimat
Status:	Prisoners
Crime description:	Murdered 2 people in 1985 in the Masua forest, near the city of Beit Shemesh.
No. killed:	2 people
Sentence:	1 life sentence each
Means of honor:	Visit to home by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake along with PA officials.
Source:	Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 1, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Ayyat Al-Akhras
Status:	Killed during her terror attack
Crime description:	She carried out a suicide bombing near a Jerusalem supermarket on March 29, 2002.
No. killed:	2 people
Means of honor:	She was honored in two pictures posted on Fatah's Facebook page (The Main Page) during Ramadan. One picture called her and other terrorists "stars that shone in the sky of the revolution." The other picture called her "the [female] master of the world."
Source:	Facebook, "Fatah - The Main Page," Aug. 2, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Tareq Salim Abdallah Yassin
Status:	Killed during his terror attack
Crime description:	Shooting attack at the Kissufim Road leading into the Gaza Strip on July 24, 2005.
No. killed:	2 people
Means of honor:	The social committee of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades paid a visit to the terrorist's home describing him as a "hero." They broadcast a poster with pictures of the terrorist, Mahmoud Abbas and Yasser Arafat. He was described as a "pure soul."
Source:	fatehwatan.ps, July 23, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Muhammad Ghwadreh
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Murdered two Israelis in June 2003.
No. killed:	2 people
Sentence:	3 life sentences
Means of honor:	Visit to home by Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake and his entourage.
Source:	Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 28, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Wafa Idris
Status:	Killed during her terror attack
Crime description:	She was the first Palestinian female suicide bomber. She carried out her attack in Jerusalem in 2002. As a volunteer for the Palestinian Red Crescent, she bypassed Israeli security and entered Jerusalem in a Palestinian ambulance.
No. killed:	1 person
Means of honor:	Fatah's Facebook page "The Main Page" posted her picture along with three other terrorists and called them "starts that shone in the sky of the revolution."
Source:	Facebook, "Fatah - The Main Page," Aug. 2, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Muhammad Falana
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	He and an accomplice placed a bomb.
No. killed:	1 person
Sentence:	1 life sentence
Means of honor:	Visit to home by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affaris Issa Karake and a delegation from the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs.
Source:	Ma'an, Palestinian news agency, July 24, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Nasser Barham
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Murdered his employer, Moshe Edri on Nov. 24, 1993 in order to join Hamas.
No. killed:	1 person
Sentence:	1 life sentence
Means of honor:	Home visit by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake and a number of PA officials.
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 28, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Abd Al-Rahman Yusuf Mahmoud Al-Haj
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Stabbed woman to death and attempted to murder and wounded her father and daughter, Feb. 21, 1993.
No. killed:	1 person
Sentence:	1 life sentence plus 20 years
Means of honor:	The terrorist's family received a certificate of honor from the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs describing the terrorist as a "hero": "Dedication: The Minister of Prisoners' and Released Prisoners' Affairs In recognition and pride Of the brave prisoner Abd Al-Rahman Mahmoud Al-Haj The Ministry of Prisoners' and Released Prisoners' Affairs."
Source:	Official Palestinian Authority TV, July 29, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Muhammad Nasr
Status:	Prisoner
Crime description:	Murder
No. killed:	1 person
Sentence:	1 life sentence
Means of honor:	Visit to home by PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs and a delegation from the Ministry of Prisoners' Affairs.
Source:	Ma'an, Palestinian news agency, July 24, 2013

Name of terrorist:	Darin Abu Aisheh
Status:	Killed during her terror attack
Crime description:	Carried out a suicide bombing in 2002.
No. killed:	2 injured
Means of honor:	Fatah's Facebook page "The Main Page" posted her picture along with three other terrorists and called them "starts that shone in the sky of the revolution."
Source:	Facebook, "Fatah - The Main Page," Aug. 2, 2013

ELDER OF ZIYON: Sickening photos of Abbas celebrating with murderers

Every single person released from prison by Israel on Tuesday was involved in murder.

Some went out to kill any Jew that would pass by; others targeted specific civilians. One killed a Holocaust survivor. Another killed an 84 year old man with an axe. Yet another targeted a 51 year old woman in the car where she would give rides to Arab workers.

These people are beneath contempt.

To Israel's "peace partner" Mahmoud Abbas, and to his people, they are heroes.

The idea of any sort of agreement with these people openly celebrating murderers is nauseating.

(If someone knows the names of the people in these photos with Abbas, please let me know.)

Arab Christian Party: Don’t Release Arab Murderers! A new Arab Christian political party vehemently opposes BDS and the release of convicted Arab murderers, but whether it is the Holy Grail of Arabs fully supporting the Jewish State remains an open question by Lori Lowenthal Marcus

Bishara Shlayan is an Arab Israeli who says BDS harms Arabs most of all Photo Credit: Facebook Photo 

Could it be that the elusive needle in the haystack exists?  Just what so many people have been looking for: Arabs who understand that people who don’t obey the rule of law are bad neighbors, bad classmates, and bad for business.  Those bad guys are also more likely to kill other Arabs than law-abiding citizens who wish to create a strong, safe country that unifies people of all religions and races. Bishara Shlayan is creating a new Arab Christian political party in Israel.  The party was originally called “Allies of the New Covenant” (B’nai Brit Hahadasha), but recently changed its name to “Allies” so that more Jews will feel comfortable supporting it. In a recent intervew, Shlayan makes several profoundly important statements: first, he strongly opposes the boycott not only of Israel, but also, specifically, of the territories: “The boycott is a big mistake – it is the livelihood for many, mainly Arabs in the West Bank,” he told The Jerusalem Post. And when asked what he thinks about the release of Arab Palestinian prisoners as an inducement to getting the Palestinian Authority to sit down to talk with Israel, his response is indistinguishable from most Israelis: “Releasing murderers is not going to bring peace.” On the other hand, perhaps as evidence of the enormous difficulty any Middle Eastern Arab is guaranteed to have if he is either critical of anti-Israel efforts or supportive of belonging to – or even co-existing with – the Jewish State, there are inconsistencies in some of the positions attributed to the Allies party, and even to Shlayan. For example, according to a Messianic website the Allies party is “a revolutionary and courageous move,” because the Arabs involved realize “their future is with Israel and the Jews, and not with the Muslims who are trying to push the ancient Christian community out of Nazareth,” the birthplace of Jesus, which is now 65 percent Muslim and only 35 percent Christian. But in an earlier Jerusalem Post interview from July, Shlayan sure sound as if he is endorsing the Two State concept, with his own home in Nazareth being part of the Muslim state: “I want every Jew in the world to have a place – a state to go back to – but I do not want to lose this state, and that is why I am for separation – two states.” But perhaps what Shlayan is really hoping for is…three states! In last week’s Jerusalem Post article, Shlayan talks about his dream of having an “Arab Christian community, open to all, in the West Bank.” He even recognizes the appeal such a community should have from world funders because it would “promote peace since it would be open to anyone.”  And although Shlayan wants his dream community to be open to all, his dream is for it to “have a statue of Jesus in Nazareth, similar to the ‘Christ the Redeemer’ statue in Rio de Janeiro.” And just to confuse issues a little more, on Shlayan’s Facebook page, a page he has “liked” is one for “Palestinian Christians.”  This group, unlike Shlayan’s vision, is for only one state.  And although the page refers to the one state as a secular one, the symbol is a large cross instead of the Magen David. On the other hand, perhaps the strongest evidence possible that Shlayan and his new party is firmly committed to the support of a strong Israel, is Shlayan’s own family. Major Ihab Shlayan, Bishara’s uncle, is a career military man in the Israeli  Defense Forces, and was recently made an adviser on Christian issues for the IDF. Major Shlayan is also a leader of the Christian IDF Enlistment Forum. Bishara Shlayan first floated the concept of a new Judeo-Christian party in July.  The original plan was to have members run in local elections, which are scheduled for October. While there has been an outpouring of support from various Jewish and Christian communities around the world, the Allies have also received a lot of hate mail and messages from “Muslim and certain Christian communist groups.” Shlayan hopes to be able to maintain cordial relations with his Muslim neighbors, so he wants to take it slowly and the plan is now to register Allies as a political party next year.

MUQATA: Raise Your Hands if you Approve of Releasing Palestinian Terrorists!

A Palestinian raises his bloodied hands in victory to a cheering crowd after brutally murdering 2 IDF reserve soldiers who made a wrong turn into PA controlled Ramallah.

If you think that a pre-condition for peace talk negotiations should be to release savage murderers from jail, then raise your hands!

If you think Israel should make a mockery of it's judicial system, and spit in the faces of the broken Israeli families whose children and parents were slaughtered by Palestinian terrorists, raise your hands!

If you think that Prime Minister Netanyahu should ignore popular sentiment and release terrorists just for the privilege of  sitting down at a table with a society that glorifies civilian murderers, then raise your hands!

If you think that Israel should bow to American pressure, endanger the lives of its citizens and soldiers, and free murderers while the US refuses to free Jonathan Pollard, raise your hands!

 Click here for more ElderOfZion stuff.

ISRAEL MATZAV: Will his daughter's murderers go free?

Many years ago, when our financial pressures weren't quite what they are today, Mrs. Carl used to take classes at a seminary in Jerusalem. One day, just before Rosh HaShanna in 1995, we were driving our car, and she was telling me about how someone from the US came to speak about his daughter at the seminary. Mrs. Carl was telling me about how the speaker said he understood how our forefather Abraham felt when he put his son Isaac on the altar, when suddenly, my wife burst into tears....

A week or two later, I was in the synagogue on the second day of Rosh HaShanna. I was praying the Musaf prayer, and when I got to the part where we ask God to remember the akeida, the binding of Isaac to the altar, as a merit for his children, I thought of Stephen Flatow talking about his daughter Alissa HY"D (May God Avenge her blood) and I suddenly burst into tears. I had never done that during prayers before....

Stephen Flatow and I have never met, but we know a lot of people in common, because I used to live in the same part of New Jersey where he lives. He is worried that his daughter's murderers are about to be released. And with good reason (Hat Tip: Ricky G). 

I thought that by now Israel would have learned the first lesson of negotiating: Never negotiate with yourself.

I appear to be wrong, because, apparently at the behest of Secretary of State John Kerry, over 100 terrorists are going free, including many directly involved in multiple murders — as a good-will measure to “bolster” Abbas and to give Kerry something to say he accomplished after racking up so many frequent-flyer miles traveling to the Middle East.

What will Israel get in return? From all news accounts, it appears the answer is nothing more than the Palestinians returning to the negotiating table.

So I ask Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Will my daughter’s murderers, now in an Israeli prison, be released for the sake of good will? Can you show me anything concrete that will come from this action that will allow my son and his family, citizens of Israel, to sleep safely in their home in Jerusalem?

Show me something that will allow me to go to my eventual rest knowing that my personal efforts to assist in the ongoing development of the state of Israel weren’t a waste of time. Show me something, anything at all, and I will support you.

Unfortunately, I don’t think you can. Your present course of action will only lead to more tragedy.

Someone took me to task yesterday for referring to our Prime Minister as 'Bibi' (Hat Tip: Gershon D). (The third quote in his post was from me). He argued that calling the Prime Minister 'Bibi' is an undeserved term of endearment. Point taken. I will try not to use that name in the future. It's just faster to type than Binyamin....

Prime Minister Netanyahu has shown himself to be no better than Ehud K. Olmert or Yitzchak Rabin (who was likely the one who referred to Alissa Flatow as a 'sacrifice for peace' - he was the one who coined the term). Netanyahu has no backbone, just like they had no backbone. In fact, he may even have gone over to the side of the appeasers.  

It is time for him to be replaced. The Flatow family deserves better and so do the people of Israel.